PaC Man & Wife: Moonlight Serenade

I was thrilled my grandparents were able to attend our wedding. I’ve always been very close with them; they feel like a second set of parents. And they’re the cool kind of grandparents, sometimes cooler than my own parents! What would be the best way to pay tribute to them? I first read about the idea of an anniversary dance on Weddingbee. I knew immediately that this tradition was for us. And we would make it a surprise!

Now that we had decided to put the spotlight on my grandparents, we had to give them something to dance to. After a secretive phone call to my mom, we decided “Moonlight Serenade” would delight them. It’s a big-band classic for their generation and remains a beautiful song.

DJ Z invited all married couples to the dance floor for a sweet, slow dance. The familiar melody floated through the room as couples who’d been seated for most of the night got to their feet. The dance floor was filled with so many of our friends and family.

As newlyweds, our spin on the dance floor was short-lived. Couples married less than 24 hours—bye-bye. Watching the generation dance from the periphery, time slowed, the moment became sweeter, and a transcendent feeling of surreal happiness washed over me. These precious few minutes were my first opportunity to experience the wedding from our guests’ point of view and allowed me to truly savor the now. And I must add, we enjoyed focusing the spotlight on someone else.

“Anyone married less than a month,” called out DJ Z. Our Cinco de Mayo newlywed friends, just one day shy of their one month anniversary, were the next couple to leave the dance floor.

Did you spot Mr. PaC in the background “consoling” our newlywed friends?

DJ Z ticked off the anniversaries: 5, 10, 15…all of our friends joined us on the sidelines.
… 20, 30, 40. A handful of couples remained.

My Minnesota aunt and uncle were still up there, for now.

Friends of Mr. PaC’s mother step aside.

Just eliminated!

Down to only two couples, as gestured by Mr. PaC’s uncle:

Mr. PaC’s aunt/uncle and my grandparents.

Uh oh, looks like it’s a dance off!

(guest photo)

I think they have it in the bag!

DJ Z called out one final year…and someone else left the dance floor.

Boo! A friendly thumbs down from his aunt as they’re dismissed.

We won?! (Love my grandmother’s jubilant face in this one!)

DJ Z asked how long they’d been married. My grandparents proudly responded, “Sixty-five years!” after their milestone anniversary in January. Our wedding was a celebration of love and I could not find a finer example than my grandparents’ love legacy!

Taking a victory spin around the floor!

P.S. I’d just like to point out my grandmother is rocking a glow necklace. Told you she was cool!

All this dancing had certainly worked up our appetites. Join us for dinner next!

@DEBeachGirl: I can see where that close competition would have made the bride (and you) sweat! We knew my grandparents were shoo-ins but it didn’t lessen the anticipation. Sorry to hear about your grandparents too. Could you do an “honor dance” with them, similar to a parent dance?